You cannot override this in TurboTax online if you wish to e-file; but you can almost certainly "spoof" the software into allowing you past this blockage. Please allow me to explain.
The only truly meaningful
elements on a W-2 for income tax filing purposes are the employer's
federal EIN (Employer's ID number), the Social Security Number (SSN),
and the actual wage data.
However, with respect to the state
number ID issue, it won't really matter what you input in Box 15 Employer ID,
as long as the software will accept it. For instance, if there continues to be an issue with Box
15 that prevents e-filing your return with a blank Box 15, and it absolutely
requires some value in the software, then either try using your Federal EIN
over again here, or enter a "nonsense" value such as 12345 67890 (with a space
in the middle, or not).
If the TurboTax program asks you for
a state ID number in a specific alpha-numeric format, such as needing exactly 9-digits and
ending in XYZ, for instance, then enter a just enter any value that
conforms to that format . . . such as 123456XYZ. This should enable you to
bypass the issue and file your return. In other words, try to be a little
creative here, and just give the software some value (even gibberish) that it
will accept. This can include also using the Box 15 drop-down menu to select your state, if needed.
As you correctly point out, some employers don't print a state ID number on their employees' W-2s.
But in fact the IRS computers and
your state department of revenue (if applicable) really won't care what
you do here in the TurboTax program, as, they're just
looking for the federal EIN, SSN, and relevant wage data. The State
ID is simply a bureaucratic convention for your state; the state can and
will still be able to easily and uniquely identify your wife's employer by
their
federal EIN, even if they have to cross-reference the Federal / State ID
numbers in their database.
In other words, this single issue should not
affect the processing of your tax return, as long as you can satisfy the
software with some acceptable input (or none at all). Again, get imaginative here and try several different approaches. You're bound to find that one that will be successful.
Once again, your state should still
be able to understand and process the tax return, assuming you live in a state with an income tax. As a very last resort,
if nothing else works, you attempt to e-file and your state return is still
rejected, then you can always ask your wife's payroll office or human resources
department for their actual number. If her employer has employees in your
state (they must, because they employ her), then they will have a state tax ID
number somewhere in their files, even if it's not printed on the W-2.
Thank you for asking this question.
